Melbourne apartment of the week: The Normanby Melbourne, Southbank

With an infinity pool inspired by the world-famous Marina Bay Sands, round-the-clock room service from the on-site Marriott hotel and owner's corporation fees at a very reasonable $3950 per annum, Capital Alliance are dedicated to giving buyers of their new Normanby apartments, excellent value for money. 

Given the sales success of the developer's previous project, The Docklands Residences, Capital Alliance’s Founder and CEO Mohan Du explains that a property is more than just concrete and materialistic finishes, but a place where people will love living. That means going above and beyond to provide exceptional amenities and to be generous with the homes you build for future residents. 

We caught up with Mohan Du to learn more about what buyers can expect from the exciting new Southbank development. 

Urban: Which aspects of the Normanby Melbourne development are you most proud of and why?

Mohan Du: I am extremely proud to bring the first AC Hotel by Marriott to Australia, which makes Normanby Melbourne much more than just a mixed-use hotel and residential development.

We have created a unique lifestyle for residences that is equivalent to luxury hotel living by providing them with the ability to access hotel facilities and amenities. Far too often you see marketing material which wrongly states that, but through our partnership with Marriott, we have a high-end hotel operation being part of our development.

Services that residences can get exclusive access to include the infinity pool, gymnasium, housekeeping services, room services, concierge services, and more. We always believed that building apartments is more than just building “four walls”, it is about building a “home”.  How people live comfortably after they moved in is of most importance to us.

U: If a buyer was deciding between Normanby Melbourne and a similar residential development in the area, what do you think makes Normanby unique and the favourable option? 

MD: Here are a few key points that make Normanby stand out from the crowd, including:

• Hotel living - The fact that residents will be living atop an international hotel, which set high standards for the entire building, including services and amenities such as use of the infinity pool, gym, housekeeping, room service and more.
• Low OC fees - Despite all the offerings that residents can get access to, we have significantly reduced the owner's corporation fees, which are around $3950.00 p.a. for a two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment. This is a matter that all purchasers would take into consideration today as it is far too often these costs disproportionately increase. Typically, owners do not have the choice but to pay the OC fees regardless if they are using the building facilities or not. At Normanby Melbourne, all amenities are maintained by the hotel and residences can opt-in to access all amenities.
• Short stay ban – To maintain the integrity and security of the building all short term stays are banned as it creates a disruptive living environment on resident floors.
• Low density – Although this is a 40-story building, there are only 97 private residences within the building starting from level 20 with views of the city and Port Philip Bay.
• Space and storage – One of the reasons behind the limited number of private residences was that we want to provide future residents with quality homes. Spacious apartments that are much more than a square box. Each apartment also comes with a storage area, which is located on the same level as their apartment.

U: In your opinion, what are some of the best amenities on-site or nearby?

MD: One of the unique benefits of living at The Normanby Melbourne are all the amenities that are available within the building. The open-air, infinity pool with incredible views of the city is one of my favourites along with the world-class gymnasium that offers a variety of equipment. Being located within walking distance to South Melbourne Primary School, South Melbourne Market, tram stops and tons of other future amenities that will be available in Fishermans Bend, is a massive plus as well. 

U: What was the inspiration behind the design of the development?

MD: The inspiration was to replicate the success of The Docklands Residences, a mixed-use development featuring the first new-built Marriott Hotel in Australia in over 20 years. I should say that the inspiration we had from an amenity point of view was from Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, which is famous for the rooftop infinity pool and pool bar and has now become iconic destination for many travellers in Singapore. Again, a development is more than just a concrete and materialistic finishes to us, but a place where people will live, enjoy, and talk about.  

U: If you had to use only five words to describe Normanby Melbourne, what would they be?  

MD:

• Unique
• Lifestyle
• High-end
• Thoughtful
• Homely